1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to service valves and more particularly to a service valve for connection with a refrigerant line to provide access to refrigerant contained by the line.
Most sealed refrigerating systems are now provided with an access valve connected with the refrigerant line for access to the refrigerant when sevicing the system, however, it is usually desirable to have more than a single access valve connected with the refrigerant line for the purpose of simultaneously connecting a pressure gauge to the refrigerant line and add or remove refrigerant while the pressure gauge is in communication with the refrigerant line.
This invention provides a normally closed valve which, when connected with the refrigerant line at the time of manufacture or added later, provides a manually operated plunger for opening the refrigerant line connected valve to provide communication with a refrigerant control valve and an open valve housing.
2. Description of the prior art.
The most pertinent prior patent is believed my U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,861 which provides a centrally bored and counterbored housing connected at one end to a refrigerant line and provided with a refrigerant line piercing core moved axially in the housing by a cap on its other end for piercing the line and providing communication therewith through lateral ports to opposing outlet valves communicating with the lateral ports. In this patent the lateral port connected valves have refrigerant pressure against the valves at all times.
This invention is disinctive over prior art patents and my above named patent by providing a valve body connected at one end with a refrigerant line and having a normally closed depressible valve core in its refrigerant connected end portion which is opened and closed by a mandrel contained by the other end of the body which is axially moved toward and away from the valve core by a cap screw threaded on the end of the body opposite the line. A lateral bore, intermediate the ends of the body, communicate with an outlet valve and an open valve housing connected with the body.